2023 MLB All-Star Game: Betting Odds, Prediction

The 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game total is set at 7.5 runs.

MLB All-Star Game Betting Analysis

A reminder that all 30 teams will have at least one representative in the 93^rd All-Star Game in Seattle, but that doesn’t mean every player on both rosters will actually get into the game. In fact, it’s usually a sure thing that at least a few guys on each side don’t play. Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson, an Ontario native, will manage the National League team and the Houston Astros’ Dusty Baker is in charge of the AL squad. The managers from the previous year’s World Series (if still active) get the gigs.

There was no All-Star Game in 2020 due to COVID, but the American League won it for the ninth time in a row last year, 3-2 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton was the game’s MVP but is not an All-Star this year. The National League has score more than three runs just once during this nine-game ASG skid. Pitching largely dominates in the All-Star Game because most guys only go one inning, so they can throw as hard as possible.

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen is a first-time All-Star and will get the start on the mound for the National League – starting pitchers usually go no more than two innings these days and often just the one, so it’s tough for them to win MVP honours. The 27-year-old Gallen is right in the NL Cy Young race at 11-3 with a 3.04 ERA, but he has done most of his damage at home with a 9-0 record and 1.48 ERA. He is the third Diamondbacks pitcher to be the All-Star Game starter all-time and first since Curt Schilling in 2002. The NL starting lineup is stupid good with the likes of Ronald Acuna Jr. (runaway MVP favourite), Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Luis Arraez (leads majors in hitting) and Corbin Carroll (NL Rookie of Year favourite).

American League

Because the game is hosted by the Mariners, the AL is the home team and will bat last. Manager Dusty Baker has announced that New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole will get the start on the mound. He is 12th Yankees pitcher to start the All-Star Game, but the first since Roger Clemens in 2001. Cole is 9-2 with a 2.85 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 19 starts this year and might finally win a Cy Young Award. The American League appears to have been hit much harder by injury with the likes of Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Yordan Alvarez all having to be replaced. Shohei Ohtani will start at DH but probably not pitch due to a blister. No Blue Jays are in the starting lineup but Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are reserves. Kevin Gausman was named to the AL pitching staff but won’t pitch and was replaced by Minnesota’s Pablo Lopez. Jays closer Jordan Romano replaced Astros pitcher Framber Valdez.